the sun & stars

miracles happen

A quiet steady knock woke Nadine up that morning.

She couldn't help but groan to herself at the heavy drowsy feeling calling to her to stay under the thick, soft blankets hiding her & a sleeping Cassandra from view.

Usually, her handmaiden would sleep in her own room, but as they grew up together, it became a habit for them to stay the night together whenever there was a bad day - often in Nadine's room, since her bed was the biggest of the two. And for Nadine, the emotional toll of the Lantern Day celebration counted as a bad day.

And usually, her parents would agree to letting her sleep in the day after as "sleep is important for a growing princess". Which was a bit awkward to hear when you were 19 and probably wouldn't grow anymore, but it at least gave her more time for herself after everything.

For a moment, Nadine considers ignoring the knocking to drag out the moment.

Last night, as was tradition, her parents insisted Nadine stayed up with them until midnight so that they could release the first lantern.

"As a family," they had insisted.

All of this, for a sister she'd never know.

Nadine rolls over in her bed to hide her face with Cassandra's shoulder, now wanting to stay in for a different reason. It wasn't that she didn't get why her parents would grieve for their missing child- her missing sister- it was just that...

Was it even worth it anymore, after all this time? What was the likelihood that she was really just going to waltz through the castle doors after all these years?

But that wasn't something she could ever ask her parents. There's a tightness in her chest.

No. She needs to think about something else.

Instead, Nadine focuses on Cassandra's arm around her. Grounding her. She takes a deep breath, focusing on the handmaiden's presence next to her.

Nothing could be too much if Cass was there.

Silently, Nadine let her sleep-heavy lids close. Mother and Father could wait a few minutes longer for her to wake up...

For a moment, everything was silent and Nadine smiles tiredly. Sweet bliss-

The knocking started up again even louder.

She groans and pulls a left-over pillow over her head. Nadine could feel the bed dip as Cassandra finally woke up with a similar groan before rolling out of the bed. She listens to Cassandra's quiet footfall.

Even when she's just woken up, Cassandra was put-together. Precise.

It's really admirable.

"Ethel," she hears Cassandra rasp, before the woman cleared her throat, "good morning. Do the queen and king need something?"

There was a quiet reply that Nadine couldn't make out from under her pillow. But she could guess what it was.

A groan of tired anticipation built up in Nadine's chest. She forces it down before Ethel could overhear.

Over the years there'd been many other nobles, both from Corona and foreign, knocking on the castle door to personally deliver their condolences. And either the nobles would overstay their welcome or attempt some kind of negotiation with the Kingdom of Corona without reading the mood of the room. Her parents never enjoyed the visits either, especially after such a sensitive day, but what Nadine knew of diplomacy was enough for her to know they couldn't turn them away as quickly as they'd like.